Project description
Human skin as a disease-sensing biological device
The skin microbiome can be used to incorporate novel functionalities in the host. This is because it is easily accessible and in direct contact with the host, has low immunogenicity and can be genetically manipulated. With this in mind, the EU-funded HuSME project aims to engineer the human skin commensal Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) as a disease-sensing biological device that will detect atopic dermatitis and produce an anti-inflammatory molecule in response. To achieve this, it will develop a vector and a methodology for efficient gene delivery into C. acnes. It will also construct synthetic gene circuits that will allow C. acnes to detect inflammatory markers in vitro and consequently secrete anti-inflammatory signals. The project will help to advance human microbiome genetic engineering.
Objective
The skin microbiome constitutes an attractive platform to incorporate novel functionalities to the host, due to accessible location, tight contact with the host, low immunogenicity, and easier genetic manipulation, among other reasons. I will adopt a translational synthetic biology approach to engineer the human skin commensal C. acnes (formerly P. acnes) as a disease-sensing biological device (“biodevice”) with therapeutic activity. Precisely, engineered C. acnes will detect atopic dermatitis (AD, the most common chronic inflammatory disease worldwide) and respond by producing an anti-inflammatory molecule. First, I will develop a vector and a methodology for efficient gene delivery into C. acnes. Next, I will construct synthetic gene circuits that will allow C. acnes to detect inflammatory markers in vitro and to respond by secreting anti-inflammatory signals. Finally, I will use the C. acnes biodevice as an in vivo therapeutic product: I will apply the engineered bacteria on a mouse model of AD and evaluate its potential as a therapeutic tool capable of disease-sensing and regulated maintenance of skin homeostasis. This project will contribute to the emerging field of human microbiome genetic engineering, will inspire and guide future efforts towards microbiome repurposing for therapeutics, and has the potential to provide exploitable results and better therapeutic options for AD patients.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences biological sciences synthetic biology
- medical and health sciences health sciences inflammatory diseases
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology genetic engineering
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology homeostasis
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
08002 Barcelona
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.